The city council approved the 2025 budget and tax rates

At its meeting on Monday, November 11, 2024, the Riihimäki city council approved the city's 2025 budget and financial plan for the years 2025–2027, as well as the city's tax rates for next year.

Tax rates remain unchanged

The city council unanimously approved the tax rates for 2025. Municipal tax and real estate tax percentages will remain the same. In 2025, the municipal tax will be 7,9 percent and the general real estate tax will be 1,45 percent.

Several changes to the content of the budget

The political groups made a total of seven amendments to the budget at the meeting.

• About the appropriations for Jokikylä's public art two amendment motions were made. The group of Christian Democrats, under the leadership of councilor Hannele Saare, proposed that instead of the 220 euros mentioned in the mayor's budget proposal, half, i.e. 000 euros, will be set aside for the purchase of Jokikylä's public art. Left Alliance councilor Raisa Laurila-Hakulinen proposed that 110 euros be set aside in the budget for Jokikylä's public art.

  Laurila-Hakulinen's presentation won the first round of voting. In the second round of voting, Laurila-Hakulinen's proposal was voted against the city government's basic proposal (no funds are reserved for the acquisition of Jokikylä's public art for the years 2025–2027). Of these two, the city government's basic proposal won. Thus, there will be no change in the appropriations for Jokikylä's public art from the city government's budget proposal.

• The group of Social Democrats, under the leadership of Silja Nurmi, made a motion according to which the section concerning will be deleted from the budget city ​​depot. The section was proposed to be deleted: "The technical industry prepared a report in which, as an alternative to own production and depot operations closely linked to it, an even wider utilization of the market in the organization of services is being investigated. The goal is to organize services (construction, maintenance) more cost-effectively and to reduce the amount of capital tied up in machines and equipment." It was voted to delete the item. The basic proposal won by three votes (20–23), so the text item will not be removed from the budget.
• Councilor Terhi Vesala (Liike Nyt) made a motion according to which early childhood education fees will not be increased by 20 euros. The proposal was voted against the city government's basic proposal, and councilor Vesala's proposal won (000–20).
• Councilor Petri Mattila (SDP) made a proposal, according to which the sports center will not increase sports venue fees in 2025. Councilor Mattila's motion was voted against the basic proposal (a 10 percent increase in fees). The votes were divided equally 21–21, so the vote of the chairman of the city council decided. With the chairman's vote, Mattila's proposal became the council's decision.
• Councilor Petri Mattila (SDP) made a motion according to which the city will explore a model in which all willing Riihimäkians born in 2008 are guaranteed a two-week summer job from the city, company or association. Councilor Mattila's motion was voted against the basic proposal. The votes were divided between 18 and 25 in favor of Mattila's proposal.
• Councilor Petri Mattila (SDP) also made a motion according to which personnel E-passport benefit will not be reduced to 150 euros as presented in the budget proposal, but will be kept unchanged (200 euros per employee). However, the presentation fell through due to lack of support.

The chairman of the city board, Riku Bitter, made a measure initiative according to which the IceHearts operation can be continued after the turn of the year in accordance with the city board's budget. The continuation of the IceHearts operation and the sharing of costs with the welfare area will be investigated quickly and the matter will be prepared separately for the board and the city government during the end of 2024 and will be brought to decision-making in the beginning of 2025 with possible proposals for additional appropriations. The council unanimously approved the measure initiative.

In addition, councilor Sari Jokinen (Vihr.) presented technical changes on behalf of the education and welfare sector in the budget.

Investments with 13,7 million euros

The budget of Riihimäki's parent city for next year is 0,8 million euros in deficit. Parent city means a city without a water supply company. When the water supply company is added, the result is a surplus of EUR 1,0 million.

The city will invest a total of 13,7 million euros next year. The most significant investments are the construction of Jokikylä's public areas, 4,0 million euros, the design and start of construction of small group facilities for individual teaching, 1,0 million euros, and the start of the renovation of the old town hall, 1,0 million euros. 1,2 million euros have been set aside for the basic improvement of streets and parks, and about 1,5 million euros have been set aside for the basic improvement of the city's offices.

This is a preliminary announcement and you can read the actual decisions later in the minutes of the meeting.